Reduced wire count high speed data cable
A high speed video cable carries signals according to the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) or DisplayPort standards, and includes a raw cable and a boost device. The raw cable is exclusively constructed with either Shielded Twisted Pairs (STP) or coaxial lines which carry all signals on either shielded wires or their shields. The high speed signals are carried on the shielded wires to the boost device where any common mode noise induced by the signals on the shields is removed. Some auxiliary signals including power are carried on ungrounded shields.
1. A data cable for carrying one or more data signals and one or more auxiliary signals between a data source device and a data sink device, the data cable comprising:
a raw cable including at least one shielded cable element, wherein the shielded cable element includes a first conductive shield at least partially enclosing at least a first conductor;
wherein the first conductor is adapted to carry at least a portion of a first data signal; and
wherein the first conductive shield is electrically coupled with an auxiliary signal input, such that the first conductive shield is adapted to carry an auxiliary signal through a portion of the data cable including the raw cable.
2. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the conductor is enclosed by a second conductive shield between the first conductive shield and the conductor.
3. The data cable of claim 1 , comprising a wire electrically coupling the first conductive shield with the auxiliary signal input.
4. The data cable of claim 1 , comprising a wire electrically coupling the first conductive shield with an auxiliary signal output.
5. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the first data signal includes a digital signal.
6. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the first data signal includes an analog signal.
7. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the first data signal includes a differential signal.
8. The data cable of claim 7 , wherein the first conductive shield at least partially encloses the first conductor and a second conductor.
9. The data cable of claim 8 , wherein the first and second conductors are dual coaxial elements.
10. The data cable of claim 8 , wherein the pair of conductors is a Shielded Twisted Pair (STP).
11. The data cable of claim 7 , further comprising a boost device, wherein:
the boost device is electrically coupled between the raw cable and the data sink device; and
the boost device is adapted to remove a common mode component from the differential signal.
12. The data cable of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first circuit carrier for connecting the data source device to the raw cable; and
a second circuit carrier for connecting the raw cable to the data sink device.
13. The data cable of claim 12 , wherein:
the first circuit carrier further comprises at least one terminal for electrically coupling at least the portion of the first data signal from the data source device with the first conductor of the shielded cable element;
the first circuit carrier further comprises the auxiliary signal input for electrically coupling the auxiliary signal with the first conductive shield of the shielded cable element; and
the second circuit carrier comprises the boost device.
14. The data cable of claim 11 , wherein the boost device comprises an equalizer for equalizing and an amplifier for boosting at least the portion of the first data signal.
15. The data cable of claim 7 , wherein the differential signal includes a Transition Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS) signal.
16. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the first data signal carries video information.
17. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the data cable carries data signals according to a cable specification.
18. The data cable of claim 17 , wherein the cable specification includes the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard.
19. The data cable of claim 17 , wherein the cable specification includes the DisplayPort standard.
20. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary signal includes at least one of the following: a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), a Serial Clock (SCL), a Serial Data (SDA), a Digital Data Channel (DDC), a CONFIG1, a CONFIG2, a Hot Plug Detect (HPD), a DisplayPort power (DP-PWR), a CEC ground connection, a power connection, and a ground connection.
21. The data cable of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the data signal comprises a Main Line lane.